Follower for barrels.



No. 839,859; PATENTED JAN. 1, 190'7 I G; KUHEIM.

FOLLOWER FOR BARRELS.

APPLICATION FILED 13110.26, 1905.-

ATTO r17?) UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

FOLLOWER FOR BARRELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

Application filed December 26, 1905. Serial No. 293,202.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES KUI-IEIM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kan- 'sas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Followers for Bar rels; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My present invention relates to a follower, and more particularly to a device of this character for use with barrels in which sauerkraut, pickles, preserving meats, &c., are kept in brine, the object of the invention being to provide a device for keeping the contents of the barrel in good condition by retaining them constantly entirely submerged in the brine, my device being especially adapted for use where it is necessary to occasionally remove the follower to remove a portion of the contents or to test a mixture.

A further object of my invention is to provide the improved details of structure, which will presently be fully described, and pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which like reference-numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a follower constructed according to my invention applied to a suitable barrel, a portion of the barrel being broken away for better illustration. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a barrel, showing the follower in position. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of one of the follower-arms, showing the adjustable pointed rod. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 0 c, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the follower-arms. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the line b b, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the screw-block. gig. 8 is a sectional view on the line a a,

Iteferring more in detail to the parts, 9 represents a barrel of a class ordinarily used for the storage of the goods above mentioned.

10 is the barrelhead, which after being removed when the barrel is first opened may be used as a follower, as, being in sections, it may be spread apart or drawn close, as may be desired. Fitting across head 10 is a brace 11, on which rests the lower end of a screw 12, which is passed through an internallythreaded perforation in a block 13 and is provided at its upper end with a suitable handle 14. On block 13 are the hinge members 15, which are preferably cast integral with the block and are adapted to rece1ve the hinge members 16 of the arms 17, these arms being preferably three in number, as I have found that when but two are used there is a tendency of the parts to swing, the two arms acting as pivots in the barrel sides. To form a compact body, I prefer to construct block 13 as a triangle with the brace-arms hinged to the three edges.

When the follower is placed in a newlyopened barrel, the arms must necessarily be short to come within the sides, while as'the barrel is emptied a longer arm is necessary. For this reason and to provide a suitable point for the arms, which may be embedded in the sides of the barrel, I have provided a socket in the ends of each of the arms, in which is inserted a pin 18, having a point 19 at its outer end and being provided with a series of rack-teeth 20. In each arm is a perforation 21, in which is located a thumbpin 22, having a series of longitudinal ribs 23, adapted to fit in the rack-teeth 20. By turning thumb-pin 22 pin 19 may be extended or retracted to lengthen or shorten the arm.

24 is a key extending into arm 17 and engaging the rack 20 for the purpose of locking pin 19 to the arm to prevent its slipping back when the screw is turned and the pins pressed into the sides of the barrel. Key 24 may be easily removed from and replaced in its socket in arm 13, and further serves as a stop against which the wings of the thumbpin 22 may abut:

In use the parts are assembled, as shown, with the lower end of the screw on the follower and the points of the arms against the sides of the barrel. When the screw is turned, the arms prevent the block from rising in the barrel and the screw is driven downwardly against the follower, pressing the contents until they are entirely submerged in the brine.

The device is easily and quickly operated, and great pressure may be put on the follower without injury to the arms or block, as the arms are practically braced against each other.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a barrel, of a movable head, a base seated on said head, a suitable block and a screw extending through and having a threaded connection with said block, and having its lower end seated on said base, stationary hinge members secured to the vertical edges of said block, and arms carried by the movable hinge members and adapted to engage the inner surface of the barrel, substantially as set forth.

In a device of the class described, the combination of a barrel, of a suitable base, of a hinge-block having a central threadedperforation, flanges projecting laterally from said block, and having perforations extending longitudinally therethrough, arms adapted to engage the inner surface of the barrel at their outer ends, and having perforated flanges at their inner ends adapted to cooperate with the block-flanges to form a hinge connection between the arms and block, and a screw extending through said block into engagement with said base, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a barrel, of a screw-block, base, and screw, of an arm carried by the block, and having a longitudinal recess in its outer end, a rod fitting within said recess and having a rack edge, and a transverse perforation, a pin extending through said perforation and having ribs adapted to engage the rack on said rod, and means for turning said pin, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES KUHEIM.

Witnesses F. L. HOLLOWAY, E. E. Jo1-INsoN. 

